Opportunities

Grant Writing Tools for Institutes of Higher Education (Specifically HBCU, TCCU, and MSIs)

Resources to assist with Grant writing:

    Early Childhood Personnel Center (ECPC) Developed Resources

    The intended use of the ECPC Curriculum Planning Tool is to provide higher education faculty a tool to develop initial Early Intervention/Early Childhood Special Education (EI/ECSE) programs and blended Early Childhood Education (ECE) and ECSE programs aligned with personnel preparation standards and recommended practices and to ensure that the standards and recommended practices are embedded within and throughout the curriculum. The development of the ECPC curriculum planning tool was driven by the EI/ECSE Practice-based Professional Preparation Standards aligned with the DEC Recommended Practices (RPs) (2014). You will find each EI/ECSE Standard as a separate tab on the tool.  This is a downloadable Excel file and should be personalized to meet the needs of your EI/ECSE or blended ECE/ECSE program. The tabs represent Standards in early childhood special education and are not intended to represent single courses within an EI/ECSE program.

     An enhanced version that includes alignment of the EI/ECSE Standards, ECE Competencies, DEC Recommended Practices, ECPC Cross-Disciplinary Competencies/Indicators, Infant and Early Childhood Mental Health Consultation Competencies (IECMHC), and Zero To Three Competencies.

    Representatives from each of the seven professional organizations reviewed the competency areas and sub-areas and presented these core competency areas for approval to each of their respective organizations. American Occupational Therapy Association (AOTA); the American Physical Therapy Association (APTA); the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association (ASHA); the Council of Exceptional Children (CEC) and the Division of Early Childhood (DEC), the National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC); and ZERO TO THREE.

    Crosswalk of the Initial Practice-Based Professional Preparation Standards EI/ECSE (2020) and the DEC Recommended Practices (2014)

    Crosswalk of the Initial Practice-Based Professional Preparation Standards EI/ECSE (2020) and the Professional Standards and Competencies for ECE (2020)

    AACTE HOLMES Scholars – Applications Open for 2024-2025 academic year

    Picture of Toddlers smiling on the left. Holmes Program Partners with Early Childhood Intervention Personnel Center for Equity link to application Current Holmes Doctoral Candidates in ECSE or EC Each scholar will receive $2200.00 in financial support Applications open until April 30, 2024 Applicants will be notified in May

    AACTE is partnering with the Early Childhood Intervention Personnel Center on Equity (ECIPC-E), to recruit into the Holmes Scholar Program.

    More early childhood leaders and practitioners with the requisite skills and knowledge are required to meet the needs of children aged birth – 5 years old.  As a 5-year sub-awardee, AACTE will be directly addressing this issue, in part, by providing targeted mentorship, professional development, and financial support to doctoral students of color pursuing a Ph.D. or an Ed.D. in early childhood and early childhood special education.  AACTE will recruit a cohort of twelve Holmes Scholars pursuing doctorates in early childhood and early childhood special education.  If you are an active Holmes Scholar in a special education and/or early childhood education program, this cohort might be right for you! 

    We encourage you to review the ECIPC-E and Holmes Partnership FAQ before filling out the Application for Holmes Scholars. Applications for the next cohort will open in February 2024 recruiting for the Fall 2024 semester.   

    If you have questions about the application, please contact Nicole Dunn at ndunn@aacte.org.

    In addition to supporting their scholarship and professional development as emerging experts and leaders in the field, this partnership will produce a report that examines the national landscape of early childhood and special education degree programs and graduates. The report will analyze trends in the number of programs and graduates within early childhood and special education and compare them to the demand for professionals who can provide these services. To meet demand, policies, and systems must be in place to sustain efforts to recruit and retain these professionals, which is why the report will also include a special analysis of states that have legislated funding for early childhood special education services and have implemented successful models to attract, prepare and retain early childhood and early childhood special education personnel.   

    2024 LEND ECI-Equity Champions – Applications Closed for 2024

    The ECiPC - Equity is recruiting up to 30 LEND trainees across diverse cultural groups to join the 2023-2024 cohort of Early Childhood Intervention Equity Champions. This nationwide cohort will participate in a workshop on equity in early childhood intervention and monthly meetings for 6 months. Each participant will be required to implement a capstone project to advance equity.

    LEND ECI Equity Champions Flyer.docx

    The expectations for the program are:

    • Attendance at the ECI-Equity Champion orientation on February 6-7, 2024, in Avon, CT,
      • July 31-August 1 - Face to Face Meeting in Avon, CT. - Present capstone or a component of your capstone
    • Participation in monthly ECI-Equity Champion meetings - Professional Development
    • Completion of program evaluation surveys
    • Completion and presentation of a capstone project

    Trainees will receive a stipend for their participation in the cohort. Transportation and overnight accommodations for those accepted into the cohort will be provided to attend the workshop in Connecticut.

    Trainees applying for this opportunity must have the support of their current LEND and/or training director and provide a letter of support with the application.

    For further information please contact Darla Gundler, Associate Director at Gundler@uchc.edu